Shivlingi

BOTANICAL NAME: Bryonia lacinios

FAMILY: Cucurbitaceae

CLASSICAL CLASSIFICATION:

Bhavaprakasha nighantu–

ENGLISH NAME: Lollipop climber

COMMON NAME:

Hindi: Gargumaru, Ishwaralingi, Shivalingi

Bengali: Mala

Kannad: Linga tondeballi, Lingatonde balli, Lingatonde, Shivalinga

HABITAT: Found in tropical and subtropical regions.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION: It is a perennial tendril climber which has a large, tuberous root and, often spotted, dark green stems. The tendrils are bifid Leaves are simple, alternate, broad, ovate in outline. They are very deeply cordate at base. Flowers are regular and are green-pale yellow in color. Fruit is globose, subsessile, 1.8 to 2.5 cm in diameter, smooth. The fruits are initially green with white blotched stripes and later turn a bright red- orange color when ripe. Seeds are 5-6 mm long, gibbous at the sides with a prominent raised band running round the edge.

MAJOR CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS: Plant contains Punicic acid, Gonitothalamin and Glucomannan

THERAPEUTIC USES:

• Female infertility – Take 1 gram powder of Shivlingi beej and 1 gram powder of Putrajivak giri with milk early morning empty stomach.
• Male infertility – Powder of the seeds is consumed regularly.
• Pregnancy – Take seeds of the plant and make small pills with jaggery. Take 2 pills twice in a day for half month.
• Burns – Paste of the whole plant is applied externally.

INDICATIONS

Pradara Leucorrhoea, Stri roga Female disorders, Kashtartava Painful menses, Bandhyatva Male and female infertility, Atisthoola obesity, Vibandha Constipation, Prameha Diabetes.

USEFUL PART: Fruits, Seeds, whole plant

DOSAGE: Powder: 1 to 3gm